The Detroit Race Course was located near I-96 and Middlebelt Road in Livonia. The course opened in 1950, after Livonia Township became the city of Livonia in order to qualify to receive tax revenue from the race track. The DRC was the third horse racing venue to open in Michigan.
In the early 1980s, the DRC was purchased by Ladbrokes of England. The gambling company operated the course until the late 1990s, when it was sold for commercial development. The last live horse race was November 8, 1998.
The race course club house, pictured in the photographs on this page, was designed by the Lansing, Michigan-based firm of Kenneth C. Black Associates.
Kenneth C. Black Associates, Inc. Kenneth C. Black Associates Inc.: Architects and Engineers (Lansing, MI: Kenneth C. Black Associates, Inc., 1970).
Michigan Gaming Control Board. (n.d.) Michigan Pari-Mutuel Horseracing – 75 Years of History. State of Michigan.
Additional images of the Detroit Race Course can be found at DetroitYES!
Who was the architect of the Detroit Race Course Club House?
The DRC was designed by the Lansing, Michigan-based firm of Kenneth C. Black Associates.
Unfortunately, we don’t know exactly who the architect was. It may have been Mr. Black, or it could have been another architect at the firm. We have not yet come across the KcBA archives, nor are we certain what happened to the firm.
Where can I find more pictures & Information about Detroit Race Course….thanks Glenn
Hi Glenn,
That’s a good question. We don’t have anything besides what’s been posted. Perhaps the Detroit library would have images in their local collections. Unfortunately, we haven’t researched the Race Course thoroughly.